Norway Maple Firewood Checking - Four Months Seasoned - December 2020

Earlier this week, I posted a photo of some of our seasoned Ash Firewood that has been processed, split and on the rack for a year and is showing cracks at the ends - checking - in firewood parlance.  That Ash firewood was from our neighbor's house pre-tear down and besides the checking and cracks, the wood has taken on a much darker color and when you *clack* them together, they give you that good, seasoned firewood sound.   This year, we had a large(ish) limb come down from the Norway Maple in our front yard.  It dropped during the "El Derecho" wind storm that came through in August.  

With the help my neighbor Matt (and his chainsaw), we processed some of that limb into rounds and stuck them up on one of the racks to begin to dry out.  My plan was to begin to process these pieces later this Winter when cabin fever got the best of me.  

But, I was over by the racks straightening some things out earlier this week and noticed that some of these Norway Maple rounds have begun to dry out themselves and are showing a little bit of that wonderful sign - checking - on the ends.  

The bark on these is still both FIRMLY attached and covered in some lichen, so they are going to need a season to dry out and get, umm, seasoned.  

My plan is to haul these to be back later this Winter, process and split them.  Then, put them on the rack closer to the house - but on the bottom - to be ready to burn come Fall 2021.